No Phillies Reunion for Rhys Hoskins, Who Obviously Didn't Fit 2026 Roster

Phillies fans have a fond memory of Rhys Hoskins for his role in helping transition the team through a lengthy rebuild in the mid-2010s into a contender by 2022.

He had a historic rookie year, the fastest MLB player ever to 10 home runs and to the 18 he finished that season with.

He authored some dramatic, unforgettable moments, like the bat-slam three-run bomb off of Spencer Strider which quickly changed the complexion of Game 3 of the 2022 NLDS. Or the infamous 34-second slow trot around the bases after homering at Citi Field in a Mets series that included several pitches near his head.

Hoskins got Philly. The city got him. He and his wife, Jayme, were legit members of the community and highly active with charity.

He's just a good guy. Good teammate. Good friend of Bryce Harper, developing a relationship with him from their conversations at first base while Harper was a National.

But he obviously was not a good fit for a reunion in 2026, despite a tweet this week connecting Hoskins back to Philadelphia.

Joining Cleveland

Hoskins, according to The Athletic, has agreed to a minor-league deal with the Cleveland Guardians that will pay him $1.5 million if he's in the majors.

Earlier in the week, Hoskins' name was all over Philly radio following a 94 WIP tweet which suggested Harper wanted him back with the Phillies. Whether or not there was ever legitimate conversation, Hoskins would not have fit this roster in 2026.

No room anywhere

The only positions for Hoskins are first base and DH, where the Phillies have Harper and Kyle Schwarber. Harper is probably never moving off of first base to return to the outfield, especially so close to a season in which it hasn't even been discussed. The Phillies reiterated this winter when Pete Alonso was a free agent that they continue to see Harper as a first baseman moving forward.

Harper now hasn't played the outfield since April 16, 2022, nearly four years ago. The longer we get away from that date, the less likely he ever will be to return to right field, the position he moved away from after injuring his elbow and eventually requiring Tommy John surgery.

And there would have been no room for Hoskins at DH unless the Phillies moved Schwarber to left field on a semi-regular basis. Doing so would have offset some or all of the offensive advantage Hoskins' bat could provide at this point. Schwarber tries hard out there but there is no comparison between his run prevention abilities compared to Brandon Marsh's in LF.

The bench make-up

Hoskins also would not have been the ideal fit for the final spot on the Phillies' bench because he can only play the one position, first base. If he were to pinch-hit, it would be a two-player move.

The three locks on the Phillies' season-opening bench are SS/3B/2B Edmundo Sosa, LF/3B/1B/2B Otto Kemp and the backup catcher, who will be either Rafael Marchan or Garrett Stubbs. The final reserve spot will be fought for by corner outfielder Bryan De La Cruz, centerfielder Johan Rojas and utilityman Dylan Moore. There is also always the possibility that a more intriguing option is cut by another team toward the end of camp.

If Hoskins was still the hitter he was during his best days with the Phillies from 2017-22, perhaps it could have been a more worthwhile conversation. But since tearing his ACL prior to the 2023 season, he has hit .223/.314/.418 compared to .242/.353/.492 prior.

It's no secret that the Phillies could use a reliable, powerful right-handed bat. They're heavily reliant this season on Adolis Garcia bouncing back. He's been as inconsistent the last two years as Nick Castellanos so there is no guarantee it works, just like there's no guarantee Hoskins would have been able to carve out more here than a once-a-game pinch-hitting role that also required his own defensive replacement.